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According to the Bible, Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) is a divine person who for the redemption of humanity became, for a brief moment in history, a human being. He has undoubtedly had more influence on the world's population than any other individual! Although information about Yeshua is abundant, beginning in antiquity, recent discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls have provided a treasure-trove of new and exciting information. This book begins with an examination of the ancient and recent sources and produces a portrait of Yeshua within the context of the Second Temple Era and with new light shed on the person, teachings, extraordinary works, and associations of the Savior. The title of this work is "Yeshua: He Will Be Called A Nazarene." It has long been believed that Matthew 2:23 asserts only that Yeshua was a resident of the town of Nazareth, and therefore was known as a Nazarene. However, a careful study of the historical evidence and the Greek text of the New Testament reveals that the term "Nazarene" was a reference to a sect of Judaism. This sect known as the Nazarenes was a branch group of the Essenes of Dead Sea Scrolls fame! Yeshua's association with this group sheds new light on many of his beliefs, practices, and teachings! Those who followed Yeshua constituted a body of believers that came to be known as the Christian Church (Acts 11:26); but before they were graced with this Greek designation, they were known by other Hebrew names such as "The Way" (Acts 9:2) and, perhaps most significantly: "The Sect of the Nazarenes!" (Acts 24:5). After the destruction of Israel and Jerusalem along with its Temple in the year 70 of the common era, one sect of Judaism, the Pharisees, survived, prospered, and eventually developed into modern day Rabbinic Judaism. At the same time, the sect of the Nazarenes also survived and, in the wake of many changes, has evolved into the largely Gentile Christian Church. Though these two great world religions developed along parallel historical paths, they have traditionally been separated by hatred, prejudice, and ignorance. However, in recent times, individuals in these groups have drawn close to each other. Jewish people are coming to faith in Yeshua as their Messiah and Savior. The Messianic Jewish movement has grown in amazing, even miraculous ways in just a generation! At the same time, traditional Christians are discovering that Jesus was Jewish! Excitement over newly discovered historical information has led many Christians to explore the Jewish Roots of their own Christian faith! We are indeed living in exciting times! Yeshua's dream of creating from diverse races, cultures, and belief systems "one new man" (Ephesians 2:15) is once again becoming a reality!
